so little time and memory...
I wouldn't normally blog about my dreams/nightmares, but this one seems to have some connections to our Christian walk, so I will...
In the dream, my twin-cousin and I were driving along on an interstate through some fairly mountainous terrain. We came upon an awful pileup accident that must have happened pretty recently. The firemen were extracting victims from the six or so vehicles, and laying them in a row on the pavement. A couple already had blankets over them and I assume they were already dead. Others were bleeding, missing limbs, screaming in pain and horror. Some lay dying quietly.
My cousin and I realized we were going to be sitting here for a while, and were not enjoying our front row seats. There seemed to be already too many people helping. Looking at our surrounding more closely, we saw a Walmart and strip mall type place, with several nice places to eat. The cars behind us started unloading and walking up the bank to presumably get away from the horrible scene before them. Some were sobbing, looking at those perishing, as they walked away. Some just walked away, glad that they and their families were safe.
I sat on the bank for a while. I couldn't leave the scene, yet neither did I jump in and offer even a hand to hold to someone in dire need. I cried and prayed, but I took no action. My cousin went to Walmart to get lunch (no judgment on you, Suz...you'd totally be in there with the firemen!) and offered to bring me something back. I told her no. To even take a drink in such a time of need seemed an inhumane thought.
After a while, I realized this accident would probably be on the news and so I should call Brian to tell him we were okay. Looking at my phone, I realized I had no service because of the mountains, and determined that I still needed to call Brian. I trudged up the bank to the strip mall, still not wanting to leave those in such pain.
When I reached the mall and saw the options available to me...Panera, Olive Garden, Applebee's...my stomach started to growl. Wait a minute...I wouldn't even take a drink before, but as soon as the pain was out of my sight, my selfish "needs" came to the front? Quickly shooting those hunger pains down, I instead headed toward Walmart, hoping they would have a pay phone. As I passed the eateries, I saw out of the corner of my eye people laughing and talking. Surely these people didn't know what was going on just over the bank. But as I looked closer, I saw these were the people who had left their vehicles down below.
Being the justice minded person that I am, I decided to go into Panera's to use the phone...and to give those people a talking to. As I walked up to the counter, I heard families exchanging information, including what church they went to and the ministries they were involved in. Polishing their trophies, as it were. Completely uncaring of the death and destruction going on just yards away.
I walked away, stunned, forgetting about my phone call. I went back to my spot on the bank, and watched the scene of death unfold below me.
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Do we do that in our Christian lives? I'd like to say no. But I know the answer is yes.
We are so focused on our needs, our wants, even our ministries, that we miss the most obvious of opportunities to touch lives with the love of Christ.
We allow those who do not know Christ (the firemen in this instance) to do all the work, content to go about our business and let them do the job. We don't do that, do we? Surely not. Oh wait. When was the last time we provided for those in need, so the government wouldn't have to. I'm not talking about a gift thrown in a basket for an unfortunate child at Christmas-time. I'm talking about coming alongside those who are beaten and downtrodden, mentoring them, teaching them, and even providing for them while they learn.
How many times do we see those who are perishing and we purposely walk up the bank to a prettier scene and our own creature comforts? Do we see people in need of a Savior, facing the worst death possible, eternal death, and yet we walk away. We may even be angry at them for daring to inconvenience us and hold up our plans for the day.
Do we cry and pray for those in suffering, not willing to get down and dirty and really do something for them? We don't want to get bloody. We don't want to get dirty. We have places to go, things to do. Surely God understands if we just sit on the bank and pray. He'll send someone just right to intervene in these lives. It can't be me. Not today. Not now. I'm not equipped for ministry to the dying. One of those other people should be doing it. And so we do nothing. And people die without knowing anyone cared. But really, we didn't care, did we?
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Ouch, huh? Yeah, me too.
